MicroTechXP

Ever since Microsoft launched their video download service for the Xbox 360, the internet has been rumbling with rumors that Sony would follow in the same direction and feature a similar service on the PlayStation 3.
After rampant speculation, Sony has subtly confirmed that they will have some form of this type of service available to PS3 owners in the future. Peter Dille, Senior Vice President of Marketing & the PLAYSTATION Network, confirmed this bit of news when addressing PlayStation Blog readers about the current state of the PLAYSTATION Network.
“Many of you have been hearing rumblings about a video service that will allow you to download full-length TV shows and movies via PLAYSTATION Network for North America. While I don’t have any new announcements here for the PlayStation Nation, it’s already been confirmed that we’ll be offering a video service for PS3 in a way that separates the service from others you’ve seen or used. Ultimately the goal of the PLAYSTATION Network service will be to break through the overwhelming clutter of digital media to give you the TV, movies and gaming content you want. More on this very soon …” [PSU]

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YouTube.com accounted for one-third of the 9.8 billion videos viewed online in the US during the month, according to new research. The total number of videos viewed in January was down slightly from the more than 10.1 billion viewed during a record-breaking December 2007, according to new data comScore.
The market watcher noted that Google Sites once again ranked as the top US video property in January with nearly 3.4 billion videos viewed (34.3 per cent share of videos), gaining 1.7 share points versus the previous month. YouTube.com was found to have accounted for more than 96 per cent of all videos viewed at the property.
View: The full story @ vnunet

During November last year we reported that the popular DVD ripper aXXo had decided to take a break and stop releasing new material for a while. It now seems that he is back in business. A few hours ago aXXo uploaded his first movie in months. He chose “I Am Legend”.
Since November 11 2007, when the last official aXXo torrent was uploaded, it has been awfully quiet. Some people assumed that aXXo had got himself caught while others claimed he had an accident. After a while it became clear that he simply decided to take some time off.
An administrator on Darkside RG, the official home of aXXo explained at the time: “aXXo told us that he has decided to take a break, so you will not see new aXXo torrents anywhere for a while. Please show your support by keeping his torrents alive until he comes back, as always, he will post here first when he does.”
Now, after nearly four months of absence aXXo has returned, and uploaded his first .torrent on Darkside RG and other torrent sites. It’s the news that many BitTorrent users have been waiting for.
Marking his comeback with the movie “I Am Legend” could be seen as symbolic. Before aXXo decided to take a break, an estimated one million people downloaded his DVDrips every month. The search term aXXo was undoubtedly the most popular at many torrent sites. Although there are conflicting opinions in respect of the quality of his work, there can be no dispute that he was, and still is, very popular indeed.
While some see him in an almost religious light, others have been quick to take advantage of his popularity for nefarious purposes, or have used the aXXo brand to draw attention to their own releases, like KLAXXON did.
Even though some see him as a legend, aXXo certainly isn’t without his critics but whatever the position, his popularity is indisputable…..along with his modesty. [Torrentfreak]

We were already blown away by Johnny Lee’s headtracking demo using a Wiimote, but it looks like Sony’s trying to take it mainstream in a much slicker way. The company was demoing a PS3-based headtracking system at GDC that doesn’t require any special IR glasses to function — it just uses a bone-stock Playstation Eye camera to track your ugly mug around the room. Sony says it’s not announcing the system for any games yet, but we can’t imagine devs aren’t clamoring for this to get official — this would be amazing for all sorts of genres. Video after the break. [Engadget]

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The Internet rumour mill has been in full swing again today, with reports coming in that online rental company Netflix may be bringing its service to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Reports originate from a survey supposedly distributed by the company, which presents consumers with the following question: “If as part of your Netflix membership you could instantly watch movies and TV episodes on your TV with your PS/3 or XBOX 360, how likely would you/anyone in your household be to do that?”
The survey reveals that users will be able to play streaming media on their console by utilizing a “special Netflix disc.” Furthermore, aside from paying USD 3 for the disc itself, consumers would not be charged any additional fees.

No mention was given to how the PS3 will handle the Microsoft-based DRM.
Regardless what the survey may indicate, readers should file this one under speculation for the time being, at least until we hear otherwise. [Engadget]

In what could just as easily be an honest mistake but is causing lots of discussion among Blu-ray fans — Amazon.co.uk has three Paramount titles available for pre-order. All three titles have a expected ship date of March 10th and all those hopeful for a sin gle format to get behind, want to believe this is another slip by our friends at Amazon that would confirm the rumor that Paramount is using its exit clause to go Blu. We’re sure if we asked Paramount it’d be denied ’til the cows come home, but even though these titles were previously available on Blu-ray, we’d still put our money on this being just like the third generation HD DVD player situation. [EngadgetHD]

[Via FormatWarCentral]
View - Trading Spaces
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View - Anchorman

Nintendo DS users in Japan will soon be able to download video, images, books legally.

Generally speaking, little devices for the DS that make use of MicroSD memory are bad for Nintendo’s business – but coming soon for the Japanese market is a fully-licensed Nintendo DS cartridge that will accept MicroSD flash memory as a storage medium to deliver video, images and text onto the handheld.

Developed by Dai Nippon Printing and AM3, the product called DSvision will appear much like any normal Nintendo DS game, except that on its side is a slot to accept a MicroSD card. Users of the product will be able to utilize a download service to load TV shows, comics and books for viewing on the Nintendo DS.

The DSvision will come packed with the Nintendo DS cartridge, 512MB MicroSD and a MicroSD-to-USB adapter for 3,980 yen ($36). Users will use the adapter to load media on using a PC when the program launches in March 2008, though details on pricing for the download service are not clear.

Unlike some other MicroSD devices for the DS, the DSvision is fully licensed by Nintendo. Other similar devices, such as the R4, are sold as gray-market devices and can be used to pirate Nintendo DS games with relative ease.

“We are keeping a close eye on the products and studying them. But we cannot smash all of them,” a Nintendo spokesman said, referring to the popular Nintendo DS piracy tool. But, as the saying goes, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. [Dailytech]

The Gamer.tv team take a behind the scenes trip to Free Radical’s to show the work that is going into the development of PS3 shooter Haze. [n4g]

Polyphony Digital today announced that the company has signed a deal with BBC Worldwide to allow users to view episodes of the popular motoring show Top Gear through the PlayStation 3.

 
Gamers can watch up to 40 episodes of the popular Television series, run by the ever exuberant trio of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, via the new Gran Turismo TV Channel, which is set to launch next year.
The BBC also revealed that the infamous test-track featured in the programme would be included in Gran Turismo 5, allowing players to race a variety of machines around the course in a similar mould to Top Gear’s very own motoring legend, ‘The Stig’.
Polyphony Digital’s Kazunori Yamauchi commented, "We’re sure that players will be as thrilled as we are when they get the chance to put their own driving skills to the test on the Top Gear Test Track in GT5, as well as enjoying classic episodes of Top Gear via GT TV.”
Gran Turismo 5 will be released in North America and Europe sometime in 2008. [PSU]

Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun selling ridiculously well? It’s hard to believe that six years ago to this very day, the iPod was officially brought into the world at a Steve Jobs Special Event. In six years, we’ve seen 1,000 songs in your pocket become ever more affordable, and as hard-disk technology has progressed, so too has the number of songs an iPod can hold. 
We may have seen the demise of the FireWire connectivity in the iPod, the inclusion of less extras (such as a dock) with the players, but it seems to have done little to dampen demand for the ubiquitous music player. Who’d have thought that a little white music player, with a name inspired by a phrase from 2001: A Space Odyssey no less, would have powered the digital music revolution, and helped rejuvenate Apple beyond everyone’s wildest dreams. It’s been a fantastic 6 years for the iPod - but I daresay there’s plenty more in the pipeline that will make the next six years just as memorable.
After the break, there’s the video from the Special Event where it all began. Happy Birthday, iPod.

[tuaw]